Bluestar's Prophecy/Chapter 7
Chapter description :After Goosefeather wails out that a vole is a sign that ThunderClan will be destroyed, Pinestar, Sunfall, and all the other cats rush over towards him. His Clanmates now gathered around, the speckled gray tom runs his claw through the vole's fur, showing how it is flattened on one part of the flank and commenting on how the fur looks like a flattened forest. Goosefeather continues to interpret the omen, stating that StarClan is sending them a sign to show that WindClan's prey stealing is just the beginning. The medicine cat warns that they will rage through the forest, destroying ThunderClan, their camp, and their territory. He finishes that WindClan will cut them down like grass in a meadow. His words are met with skepticism; Moonflower declares that what he foresees is impossible, and Swiftbreeze scornfully asks if they are actually going to believe the speckled gray tom. This causes Bluepaw to wonder if Goosfeather has been wrong about a sign before. :The medicine cat finishes that he doesn't know when the attack will happen, but that StarClan has given them the sign so that they may prepare. At this, Sparrowpelt barges his way to the front of the crowd, calling that there is no time to prepare; ThunderClan must attack first. His words are met with yowls of agreement from several of the other warriors, including Adderfang, Stormtail, and Dappletail. Pinestar, meanwhile, is more cautious, asking if they should really risk getting injured in a battle at a time when they should be focusing on strengthening the Clan for leaf-bare. Sparrowpelt argues that they cannot risk not fighting, since StarClan has warned them that there might no longer be a Clan to strengthen if they don't act. Robinwing, however, questions whether they should really go into a battle on nothing more than lingering WindClan scent and a vole's flattened fur. :Pinestar is hesitant to make a decision, and Stormtail growls that the choice of whether or not to go into a battle is an easy one, for the Clan leader is choosing between survival and destruction. Sunfall points out that they don't know which action will cause survival and which destruction, but Sparrowpelt snaps that StarClan has made that clear with the omen they sent. Pinestar's gaze flicks uneasily around his Clanmates, but the reddish-brown cat finally decides to lead his Clan into battle against WindClan at dawn. At this, some of the warriors give murmurs of approval; others, including the elders and queens, are less enthusiastic about the Clan leader's decision. Moonflower, with a tremor in her voice, asks if Bluepaw and Snowpaw will have to participate in the fighting. Pinestar assures the silver-gray tabby that he would never send apprentices with such little training into a battle. However, he decides that they will come along with the patrol in order to help treat the wounded or relay messages. :Although the rest of the day passes as usual, the camp has a solemn quietness it doesn't usually, and Bluepaw spends the afternoon reinforcing the camp walls. Featherwhisker, meanwhile, prepares for the battle by gathering herbs, and the blue-gray she-cat, worried about the battle, asks if he has any herbs for bravery. The silver tom brushes his tail against the young apprentice's spine, telling her that bravery will come for her heart. He adds that she was born a warrior, and that StarClan will be with her during the battle. Bluepaw is reassured, and Featherwhisker encourages her to eat something, wanting her to keep up her strength. Bluepaw chooses a sparrow from the fresh-kill pile and settles down beside Snowpaw, Patchpaw, and Leopardpaw. Snowpaw is apprehensive as well, but Leopardpaw is excited about the battle and confident in her fighting abilities. Patchpaw, who is to be guarding the camp, comments that he's been practicing his moves all day. Leopardpaw responds that the patrol won't let WindClan reach the camp, so he shouldn't worry about having to fight. The black she-cat adds that the biggest trouble he'll have is keeping Thistlekit quiet, which she jokes might take a battle move or two. :Bluepaw turns back to her sparrow, but doesn't feel much like eating it. Pinestar walks over, asking the blue-gray apprentice if she isn't hungry. He recalls his first battle and how Sweetbriar had insisted that he to eat a shrew. The reddish-brown tom explains that he hid it from his mother and then told her he ate it and that it was delicious. He finishes that all warriors fear their first battle, and that only a mouse-brain would rush into one without fear. Pinestar reassures them that, because they are fighting Clan cats instead of loners or rogues, their opponents won't go out of their way to harm young apprentices. The ThunderClan leader finishes that he knows Bluepaw and Snowpaw will do their best with their duties, and that StarClan will guide their paws. :Moonflower then heads over to her two daughters. She tells them that they should get to sleep early, and goes to get them moss to make their nests more comfortable. Bluepaw and Snowpaw decide not to eat the rest of their fresh-kill, so Leopardpaw finishes it off for them instead. The two young she-cats then pad into the apprentice den, Moonflower joining them a moment later and placing the moss she fetched in their nests. Still apprehensive, Bluepaw asks her mother how many battles she's fought in. The silver-gray she-cat replies that she's participated in countless fights, but most of them had merely been border skirmishes; she'd never been part of an attack on another Clan's territory. The blue-gray apprentice asks Moonflower if she is nervous about the fight, to which the warrior replies that every cat worries about going into battle, but that this worry helps makes their senses sharper and them fight better. :Bluepaw and Snowpaw thank their mother for the moss, and Moonflower replies that after the battle, they will all go into the forest and find the softest moss and feathers to make the nests even more comfortable. The thought of walking carefree through the forest with her mother and sister comforts Bluepaw as she settles down in her nest, closes her eyes, and goes to sleep. Moonflower lies down between her two kits' nest, and falls asleep herself. Much later into the night, the silver-gray she-cat stirs and leaves the den, telling Bluepaw to sleep well and that she will always be with her daughter. Characters Major }} Minor *Sunfall *Adderfang *Stormtail *Goosefeather *Speckletail *Thistlekit *Robinwing *Fuzzypelt *Stonepelt *Dappletail *Lionkit *Goldenkit *Smallear *Moonflower *Swiftbreeze *Sparrowpelt *Thrushpelt *Patchpaw *Snowpaw *Featherwhisker *Leopardpaw *Poppydawn }} Mentioned *Windflight *Sweetbriar }} Notes and references Category:Bluestar's Prophecy Category:Chapter subpages Category:Super Edition arc